With her solo show “Dual Natures,” Mary Porterfield draws from her work as an occupational therapist to ask herself what makes an act heroic and what is the limit of our ability to help others. Over realistic landscapes, Porterfield creates complex narratives filled with mythical creatures, mortals, and saints. The artist uses these dual images to explore the contradictory impulses to be selfless and still prioritize self-care, using nature as a metaphor for the things she cannot control. “Dual Natures” opens at Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago on May 8.
